Not Buffy, The Vampire Slayer
by Sam-453
Summary: What if the slayers had been called in a different order?CHAPTER 5UP! (I'm experimenting again! soz 'bout the appalling name. -please review!)
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. 

Note: Alternate universe. The slayers were called in a different order.

The slayer stepped off the bus and breathed in the warm night air. She wrinkled her nose, the bus depot smelt gross. Heading into town with a holdall over her shoulder, she read the huge sigh proclaiming 'Welcome to Sunnydale'. The slayer raised her eyebrows, thinking, _so why did I choose this town again?_

Deciding that getting a room could wait 'til daytime, she wandered through the town, getting a lay of the land… not that she intended to continue the whole slayer thing, but it was good to know. 

Somehow, she managed to end up in one of the many, vast cemeteries. The girl frowned,

"Why am I destined to spend my whole life in cemeteries?" she thought out loud,

"No matter, it wont be life much longer." Said a growling voice from behind her. She rolled her eyes and impacted the vamps head with a spinning kick

"Ok, now that was lame. If you're gonna spend your non-life making quips, you should at least make 'em good!" she yelled, staking him with a stake she had stuck in one boot (just in case). She looked at her watch. "Damn it!" She cursed, "Three hours in a new town and I already staked a vamp!"

"Hmm, and you're a little sloppy. You should have sensed him earlier." The slayer spun to see a greying man in a tweed suit approaching her, "You should have sensed me too." The slayer rolled her eyes, _watcher_ she thought. _No doubt about it._

"Yeah, well, I wasn't actually intending to be fighting vamps tonight."

"So you were just walking through a cemetery for the wonderous atmosphere." He said sarcastically. She shrugged, 

"I was checking out the town, ended up in a cemetery. Get off my back, ok? I'm not the slayer anymore." She turned to leave.

"Yes you are." The man said sternly.

"Err…no. I'm not. Sorry, dude, but I intend to set up shop in this… 'Sunny' little town and lead a _normal_ life."

"No you don't. That's not why you came here."

"Yeah it is!" she said, facing him once more. She was getting annoyed now.

"So, all normal people carry stakes around in their boots?" The slayer dropped her eyes, shrugging again,

"Just cause I gave up slaying, that don't mean I can't take precautions."

"Oh, you gave up? Well that's all right then! I'll just tell the average of five people who die of 'unnatural causes' every week in this town that you quit. Ok. That's fine." The slayer lost it.

"You giving me a guilt trip, watcher? You trying to make _me_ feel bad about this? I didn't pick me for this job, k? It's not my fault that I'm not cut out for this shit! You go settle somewhere for fourteen years, become a slayer, lose everything you've ever cared for, had, or wanted, _including_ your watcher, the only person who gave a crap about you once you set off down this shit lined road, and _then_ you can lecture me on right and wrong, ok? Deal?" The watcher looked slightly pale in the moonlight. Pale, and very shocked. The slayer nodded, and headed off in the other direction. The watcher swallowed, and called after her.

"You can do it, you know! I enrolled you in the High school; 8.30 Monday morning in the library!" This was all he could manage before the slayer was out of range.

As soon as dawn broke, she searched for a small, cheap apartment, and soon found a willing landlord, who seemed bent enough himself to not ask any questions. The slayer took the keys, shut the door and bolted it, and collapsed onto the pathetic excuse for a bed. 

"Way to go with kickin' the slayer gig, Faith." She sighed to herself. "Well done me. Bra-f*ckin'-vo."

Please review, give me ideas, tell me wot u think! I'll get more up as soon as I manage to write it!!


	2. School

Chapter 2 

Faith looked up at Sunnydale High school, and, with an annoyed scowl set on her face, she started up the steps. Yells down the pavement alerted everyone to the approach of a skateboarder. He glided along, calling,

"'Scuse me, sorry, watch out! Sorry, scuse me…" he fell silent on seeing the dark haired girl on the steps. Watching her, instead of the way he was going, he ploughed right towards the handrail. Faith knew what was going to happen seconds before it did. She spun, grabbing the guy's hand as his stomach hit the rail, and the board went flying. She raised her eyebrows.

"Classy." She said, helping him up.

"Ha ha, yeah… thanks." He spluttered. "You're new here, right?"

"Not if I can help it." She replied.

"Xander!" a voice called as a girl in a tunic approached. Faith kept her thoughts to herself.

"Will! Hey. New girl."

"Yeah." Faith said with an unenthusiastic smile.

"Hi!" the redhead girl chirped, "I'm Willow."

"An' you're Xander, right?" Faith checked.

"Yep, Xander… is me." Faiths lips quirked into a smile.

"Faith is me." She said calmly. "Look, y'know where the library is?"

 "Right over there." Willow told her, pointing.

"Thanks. Right, let's get this over with." She murmured, and set off in the right direction without another word.

"She's… nice." Xander summarised.

"Uh-huh." Willow said, not entirely sure about that. They walked towards school, nearly reaching the door before Xander remembered the skateboard.

"Damn it." He cursed, and went to search for it in the hedges.

"Hello?" Faith called out. She strode into the library, looking around.

"Ah. Faith." The watcher said, appearing with a pile of books. "You came." He said, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah. Can I go now?" The watcher gave her a withering look. Faith rolled her eyes, and sat herself on the table, dropping her bag on a chair.

"You do know most people do that the other way around, yes?" Faith frowned, looked down at the chair, shrugged, and stayed where she was.

"So who are you, anyway?" She asked.

"Huh?" he asked, putting the books down on the counter.

"Y'know, your name? Or… d'you need to look that up?" The watcher frowned.

"My name is Rupert Giles… Mr. Giles. I'm the librarian here, and as you know, your new watcher."

"Yeah, 'bout that. I seriously think you should get someone else, G." He ignored the abbreviation, but frowned anyway.

"There is no one else, Faith. You are the slayer! One girl in all the world…"

"Yeah yeah, I know the spiel. I'm the chosen one, the only one who has the strength and skill… blah, blah, woof, woof. I don't care! It's not me! I'm not the 'chosen one' type."

"You have no choice." He said simply. She dropped her gaze to the floor.

"You think I don't know that?" She said quietly. "I've had people telling me that for the last couple of years. But you don't seem to get it… I don't want this! I want to live my life. I don't need all this on my back."

"From the diaries of Merrick's I read, it sounds like you enjoyed slaying. Revelled in it."

"That was before everyone started dying… Yeah, I love the thrill of the fight, ok? It's wicked… but I can't do this again. I'm sorry." Giles touched her shoulder,

"I understand. I really do. I wish this could be different. I didn't want to be a watcher at first… but we have to do what we have to do. Just… give it a go, ok?" Faith nodded slowly, and hardened once more.

"So, what's the deal with this town? I've been here like three days, and I've seen way more vamps than I'd like to." Giles picked a few books, and sat at the table.

"Look at these." She swivelled to look, grimacing at the gross pictures on the pages.

"I forgot how much you guys like your sick pics, and boring books." She murmured.

Half an hour later, Faith was annoyed again.

"You mean I _have_ to?" She whined.

"Yes. Absolutely."

"But… why? Are you like, determined to ruin my life… again!"

"Faith! I am your watcher. You are the slayer, and there are some things you have to do to keep your identity unquestioned." She sighed again.

"So I _have_ to go to classes."

"Yes. And if you don't go right now, you'll be late." Faith rolled her eyes and groaned. 

"Fine. But I don't like you. K, G?"

"Giles." He replied, not looking up from his book.

"Whatever, G." She smiled, walking out.

At lunch Faith sat in a corner of the cantine, alone. She was still angry that she had to be here, and was well aware that her social skills weren't excellent anyway, so she had decided to keep out of everyone's way. Despite this, a pretty girl with long dark hair, perfect nails, perfect make-up, and a perfectly fake smile, joined her at the table.

"Hi, I'm Cordelia." Faith raised her eyebrows.

"Hi."

"You're Faith, right? You're new? Well, I'll take it upon myself to show you the way this place works, ok?" She gabbled in an oh-so-cheerful voice.

"Ok!" Faith mimicked. Cordelia didn't notice the piss-take.

"Right, well first rule, is, know your geeks. Once you know them all by sight, it's much easier to avoid them." Faith's eyebrows got higher. "Over there, that's Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris. Avoid them at all costs if you want to uphold your…" she looked Faith up and down, "Already doubtful popularity. Next…"

"Whoa, Cordy?"

"Yah?"

"I just wanna say one thing, k?"

"Uh-huh?" the voice was starting to really bug the new girl.

"Bite me." Faith said with an over enthusiastic smile. She picked up her tray and headed over to where Xander and Willow were sitting. Cordy sat there, stunned.

"Mind if I join ya?" Faith said, sitting at the table. Xander was starring at Cordy.

            "What did you do to Cordy?" he asked, a grin spread on his face. "I like you." Faith couldn't help smirking.

            "What did you _say_?" Willow gasped.

            "She was giving me the low down on which people to avoid in order to be as much like her as possible. I told her to bite me." Faith said with a shrug.

            "I _definitely_ like you!" Xander almost squealed.

            "_Ok then._" Faith said under her breath, wondering if she might have been better off with Cordy.

            "So… where're you from?" Willow asked timidly.

            "Boston." Faith replied, not meeting their eyes. She really didn't want to talk about her past.

            "Ooh, I've never been there." Willow said chirpily. "So… your folks moved here?" Faith swallowed.

            "Nope. Just me."

            "They sent you to live with relatives? I wish mine would do tha… no wait, my relatives are even worse than them…" Xander trailed off.

            "Na." Faith said, shrugging again. "It's just me. My folks… well I never really knew my dad, and my mom… can we not talk about this?"

            "Sorry." Willow said with a sympathetic smile. Faith looked the girl up and down. On top she was, very simply, like Cordy had said, a geek, but Faith had a feeling that this girl had layers. She smiled a little, naturally. She knew now that she would have fun bringing this girl out of her shell. _Hey, if I'm stuck here I might as well have a project, right?_ She thought to herself.

            "So is there anywhere to hang round here?" Faith said aloud.

            "The Bronze." Xander shrugged. Faith gave him a questioning look. "It's a club… the club… Sunnydale is kinda small."

            "Yeah, I got that." Faith smiled. She seemed to be doing that a lot today, despite the fact that she was at school, where she had a new watcher, so she had to actually be a slayer again, and she actually had to attend classes. She shook her head slightly, and felt her forehead, _I must be ill_. She thought. _I must be._

Please review!!


	3. Discovery

Sorry it's been so long in coming. Hope you like… Chapter 3 

Faith walked quickly along the street, well aware that someone had been following her for several blocks. She hurried into the next alley, so that when the man stepped in after her, he was shocked to find her waiting for him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Why are you following me?" She asked. He smirked.

"You're good."

"See, I already knew that. Answer my question." He took a step closer to her, and she dropped into a fighting stance. He laughed,

"I know what you're thinking, but I won't bite." He assured her. She frowned.

"I'm not stupid. You're a vamp."

"You _are_ good."

"We've been over that already. What do you want?"

"Same as you: to kill them all." Faith was taken aback. She swallowed.

"Kill…"

"The vampires."

"But you…"  
            "I'm different. The harvest is coming, Slayer. You're standing on the mouth of hell, careful you don't get swallowed." Faith, for once, was speechless. "Don't turn your back on this kid." He said, passing her a small box.

"Who are you?" she called as he turned away.

"A friend."

"What if I don't want a friend?" 

He laughed.

"I didn't say I was yours." And he melted into the night. Faith starred at the place he had stood for a moment. Then, shaking her head clear, she opened the box, to reveal a silver cross necklace. She raised her eyebrows, and pocketed it, before resuming her course to the Bronze.

"Faith!" Xander called across the crowded club.

"Hey." She replied, smiling. They moved to the bar, where Willow sat, and got drinks. Faith was itching for a dance. She looked from Xander, to Willow, and made her decision. "Will, come on, we're gonna dance." Willow looked terrified.

"Ooh, no. Me? Dance? No." she spluttered. Xander laughed, and Faith raised her eyebrows,

"All the more reason." She grinned, grabbing the other girl's wrist. "I'm gonna loosen you up, girl." She flashed Xander a wicked grin, and dragged the redhead onto the dance floor. Willow swayed to the music, and Faith rolled her eyes. She took the other girls hands, and began to dance, Faith style. Wild. She just let the music take over, and after a while, even Willow couldn't help but fall into it, if awkwardly. Xander's jaw was on the floor, along with that of many of the guys in the club. A couple of them approached the girls, each tapping one on the shoulder. Faith grinned at Will, encouragingly, and broke away with her guy. He couldn't believe his luck. Faith barely even looked at him, but in a sideways glance at Willow, she noticed the guy she was with. They was something about him… she swung round, and yelled,

"Swap!" Through the music. She grabbed Will's partner, who didn't complain, and her's took Will instead. As she'd expected, Faith's new dance partner soon suggested they took a walk. She agreed over-excitedly, and headed to the door, her arm around him. Willow saw her new friend leaving. She frowned, wondering if Faith knew about the crime rate in this town. She apologised to the guy, and followed quickly. Outside, she saw the couple disappearing round a corner.

"Faith!" she yelled out. Faith groaned as she heard the shout, and the guy didn't look too happy either.

"Don't call back." He said forcefully.

"Why not?" she said, knowing it would annoy him, and wanting to get this over with quick.

"Cos I said so." He slammed her against the wall, meaning to knock her out, but she pushed back. He vamped out in fury, just as Willow came around the corner. 

"Willow, go back inside!" Faith yelled. The vampire smiled, grabbing the small redhead, and backing down the alley with his hand about her throat. Willow screamed.

"Shut up!" the vampire said, tightening his grip. Willow obeyed. Faith took one stepped forward. "Don't move!" the vamp yelled. Faith stopped, and watched as the vampire approached the Bronze again. The moment he dragged Will through the door, Faith set off running. Inside they were nowhere to be seen. She curse and headed for the other door, only to be intercepted by Xander.

"Hey, Faith, where'd you guys go?"

"Have you seen Will?" She asked.

"Not since she left with you."

"Shit!" Faith exclaimed, pushing past him to the door. Xander ran after her.

"What?"

"We have to find her. There was a v- a guy, he grabbed her and ran."

"He kidnapped Will?"

"Kinda… just… I'm gonna look for her. You..."  
            "Are coming with you." Xander finished. Faith rolled her eyes, and not in the mood to argue, as well as knowing there was no time, she started down the alley towards the graveyard.

"Please!" Willow sobbed, "Please let me go!"

"Na." The vamp said, throwing her down the steps into a crypt. She collapsed on the ground. Soon after, a boy stumbled through the door with a hand to his throat.

"I think you gave me a hickey." He mumbled, as a vamp girl followed him.

"Jesse!" Willow shrieked.

"Hey Will…" he said vaguely, folding onto the floor.

"They're supposed to be for the master, the male vamp scolded. The girl shrugged,

"I got hungry." She cried out as something hit her from behind. As she fell, it was revealed to be Faith's foot. Without pause, she staked the male vamp, ready for the girl when she recovered. Faith punched her, causing her to stumble back away from the door. 

"Run!" Faith yelled to the three teenagers. They didn't hesitate to comply, and were gone. Faith hit the girl again, and was about to stake her when she was hit from behind. She rolled with the fall, coming up quick.

"She's strong!" The girl was gasping, "She killed…"

"Go!" The other vamp growled. The girl skirted round the other side of the crypt, and ran. 

"Great, the big guns." Faith purred.

"You have no idea, child." He replied. At that moment, Faith heard a scream outside. She snapped kicked the guy's face while he too was distracted, and yelled,

"To be continued." Over her shoulder, before legging it outside. She caught a glimpse of a vamp chasing the others a little way off. Faith ran after them, tackling the vamp to the ground. She staked her quick and turned to her new friends. "You guys ok?" 

Willow was shaking her head, gasping for breath.

"Jesse!" she sobbed, shaking the boys limp body. Faith felt the colour drain form her face. She didn't know the boy, but that made no difference. She moved to him, feeling for a pulse. Instead, she felt jaggedly displaced bones. His neck was broken.

"He's gone." She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"You…" Willow gasped, "This is because of you…" She was starring wide eyed and terrified at Faith. "None of this happened until you came!" Faith got paler, a sick knot forming in her stomach,

"Willow…" she began, But Xander interrupted.

"Will, no." He said, causing Faith to frown. "It's not her fault and you know it. She just saved our lives… and… much as I hate to say it… people die weirdly all the time here." He was terribly calm, the sort of calm that only comes once you've gone way past terror and denial, and you're faced with the bare, hard, cold truth. Faith looked up at the boy, and he met her eyes easily. He nodded slightly, and she swallowed.

"We gotta get outta here." She said quietly. Xander helped Willow to her feet, and they looked down at Jesse.

"I can't just leave him." Xander breathed. Faith nodded, and hefted the teenager's form over her shoulder.

"Let's go." She said, "Head for the school library."

"What?" Xander exclaimed.

"Just do it!" Faith snapped, and he obeyed, half carrying the redhead with him.

The small group burst into the library, startling Giles.

"G, we got a big problem." Faith called out. The watcher saw the dead boy, and gasped,

"Oh god."

"Yeah." Faith agreed, laying him on the table, and helping Willow into a chair. "They were at the Bronze- I think they were, I dunno… gathering people. I played along with one, but Will followed me- he grabbed her… another had already gotten him." She gestured to Jesse. "I staked one of 'em, and these guys ran… but…" She trailed off.

"They saw…?" Giles asked his slayer.

"In a major way." Xander replied. "How come no one told us that our town was infested with _vampires_?" 

"Most town have their fair share." Faith said quietly. She looked to the watcher, telling him this was no time for cover-ups.

"And its not just vampires." Giles sighed. They proceeded to tell the two shocked teens the basics, including what it meant for Faith to be the slayer.


	4. Dealing

I realise that last chapter, Faith became dangerously Buffy like, but I guess that's just my, 'faiths a good guy' philosophy playing out… but as we all know, it's the after math, dealing with things after the fact that Faith has major problems with. So get ready for some good old fashioned, Faith bitchiness. Hope it's satisfactory. ;) Chapter 4 

Faith awoke in her small motel room, and for a moment, it was all a dream. Then the reality hit her, and Willow's screams, and the blood technically on her hands danced in her head, eating at her. Faith took a cold shower, and shook her head at herself in the mirror.

"It was not my fault." She told herself. "It happens every day… I didn't even know the guy! And Willow… she shouldn't have followed me." Faith closed her eyes briefly, and dressed for school.

Willow looked up as the girl entered the room. She swallowed. Faith looked… scary. Leather trousers and a tight fitting top accentuated her figure, and her hair hung loose about her face, not quite hiding the dark makeup and sullen expression.

"Hey Faith, how are you?" she asked tentatively.

"Five by five." Faith replied, dropping into a seat.

"So… about last night…" Xander began.

"Last night didn't happen." She cut him off.

"Faith…"

"It didn't happen." She repeated, her voice hard, showing no emotion what so ever. "Ok? Forget it. Get on with your lives, and forget it, like everyone else does."

"I can't forget it, Faith!" He retorted, more than a little annoyed, "Jesse was my best friend! Those things… we have to get rid of them, we have to fight them!"

"Wrong. I have to fight them." Faith corrected. "You have to be a good little boy, and pretend it never happened."

"Faith!" Willow exclaimed, "You can't just…"

"Sorry to interrupted your fascinating conversation…" Cordy said, walking by, "But those of us who…" She looked Faith up and down, "…have a dress sense would like to hear our-selves think." 

"Oh, shit." Faith said in mock horror, "We should probably evacuate the town then, you're gonna need it real quiet." 

Cordy fumed as everyone near enough to hear burst into laughter.

            "You just made a big mistake." Cordy spat. "No one messes with Cordelia Chase!" She stalked off.

            "I'm just shakin' in my boots." Faith murmured, eyebrows raised. "That chick has problems."

            "Yeah." Willow agreed, but soon turned back to Faith. "Look… Faith… I get that this is your deal, and you don't want us… slowing you down… but we aren't just like everyone else. Everyone else hears the stories, and that's easy enough to forget. But we were there last night. We saw him die! I am not gonna just leave you to face this alone."

            "You don't want to forget it? Then that's your problem." Faith said. She looked around, "Screw this." And she got up and left the room, just as the teacher walked in. But he saw the look in her eyes, and didn't stop her. He didn't even want to ask.

            "G, find me somethin' to kill." She said as she strolled into the library and slumped on the table.

            "Pardon?"

            "A demon, vampire, anything… I need a fight."

            "Shouldn't you be in class?" Giles asked, looking at his watch.

            "Ya, so?" She replied, a look of genuine indifference on her face. He sighed, 

            "We don't have any major 'badguys' right now. But we need to find out more about this 'harvest'. There're plenty of books to go through if you're…"

            "Screw that, G. I'm goin' hunting." She flashed him a dangerous smile, and made to leave.

            "It's that boy, isn't it?" He said, stopping her in her tracks.

            "What?"

            "That's what's bothering you."

            "No. Nothing's bothering me." He said nothing, and Faith found his silence more intense than the angriest lecture. "It's just… those other two…" she said eventually. "…They… last night, when I saw how they were… I couldn't lie. I couldn't increase their pain by giving them some crap they'd know was bullshit. But now… I know that in the long run, the lie would've been better, cos eventually they'd believe it, and … and now they wouldn't be buggin' me askin' how they can help!" Giles sighed. "Cos they can't help, G. They'll just get killed too. An'… the way the looked at me… Willow blames me." She finished quietly.

            "No she doesn't."

            "Yes she does! She said so!"

            "In an irrational moment. It's not what she really thinks. It wasn't your fault, Faith."

            "I know that." She snapped, her brow furrowing. "I know that already." She shrugged, "I'm goin' now."

            "Faith! You should go to class."

            "I don't care."

            "You have to go, Faith, otherwise, questions will be asked. You have to maintain your cover."

            "No one would notice anyway, G. No one does! It's too weird for ordinary people… so they turn a blind eye."

            "Please go to class."

            "Screw. That." She said, and strode from the library before he could say another word. Giles heaved a sigh, and wondered why he'd gotten the troublesome slayer.

            Faith sat just outside the campus, hidden behind bushes, stripping strands of grass. She was very pissed off. She was Faith, the slayer; she needed no one, she owed no one anything, and yet, she felt guilty for storming out when Giles had asked her to go to class. Part of herself writhed at that, why should she listen to him? Why should she do anything he told her? She threw down the piece of grass she was holding and stomped off.

            When Willow reached the chem.-lab for their next lesson, she was as shocked as the girl herself to find Faith already sitting at the back, looking pretty much sickened with herself. The small redhead smiled, and sat down beside her. 

            Even if Willow would never know it, that warmed Faith's heart a little. It gave her something that mattered, even though she would probably turn it down again soon enough. At least for the moment, the Slayer was not alone.

------

Ok, so it was a little soppy too, but hey, what are ya gonna do? I write it as it comes to me…


	5. The vessel

Sorry guys, its been a while again, huh? Oh well… hope ya like it… Chapter 5 

That night, Faith went with Xander and Willow to the Bronze again, and forbade either of them from leaving with anyone until they'd introduced that anyone to her. They happily agreed, not wanting any replays of the other night.

"So how's Sunnydale treating you?" Xander asked jovially, trying to lighten the mood. Jesse's death was still hanging over them all.

"It's a shit hole." Faith replied with a smile.

"Great. Good start." Xander replied. Faith chuckled.

"Sorry X-man- it's nothing personal- you guys are definitely and upside to the shit hole." 

Xander smiled proudly, and Willow giggled. "D'you reckon I could get that dude to serve me?" Faith asked, looking hopefully at the barman.

            "Not a chance." Xander told her, "That guy's been here years, and has NEVER forgotten to check ID."

            "I'm sure I could convince him…" Faith said with a dangerous smile.

            "Ew, and wouldn't it be easier to get some unsuspecting guy you'll never have to see again to buy you a…" He stopped when he realised she wasn't paying any attention, just gazing across the room.

            "Back in a sec." She said vacantly. Xander frowned as he watched the slayer walk over to a tall guy with dark hair.

            "I was joking." Xander moaned. Willow patted his arm sympathetically.

            "Hi." Faith said to the vamp who'd been following her the other night, "Why are you watching me?… actually forget that… why shouldn't I kill you- yeah that's the one." She nodded to herself. The vamp laughed shortly.

            "You're spunky."

Faith ground her teeth.

            "Not a very good reason." She reached round to the back of her trousers where a stake was concealed.

            "Whoa whoa whoa." He said, raising his hands in surrender, "Just playin' with you slayer. I'm here cos you need to watch your back- the harvest is…"

            "Cut the friggin' cryptic and tell me what you need to say right now, or I'm gonna introduce you to my little friend- his name is woody… an' I'm not talking toy story."

The vamp grinned.

            "The master will use one of his cronies as a vessel- he'll have a funny sign on his forehead. The vessel will feed, and the master will grow stronger, eventually breaking free."

            "The master…?"

            "Oh lord." He said, rolling his eyes. "Ask your watcher, little girl- you don't have much time." He darted sideways, but Faith grabbed his arm.

            "Who are you and why are you helping me?" She asked, "…If that's what you'd call it." She added. He grinned,

            "Name's Angel."

            "Ironic."

            "Whatever. Just heed my warning, slayer." And he was gone before she could say any more.

            "Creep." She murmured, before rejoining the others.

            "Who was that?" Xander asked.

            "Creep vampire who followed me the other night."

            "Huh?" Willow was alarmed.

            "Don't sweat it Will… I think… can't believe I'm saying this, but he seems to be a good guy. Don't have a clue how that happened, but anyway… how about getting' that drink…" Xander chuckled, and she grinned, she liked Xander, and Willow, though she'd decided she needed to do some serious confidence work on the latter…

The three sat together talking for a while, until Faith suddenly frowned, glancing around.

            "What?" Xander asked.

            "Something feels very wrong."

            "Wow- you have a spidey sense?"

            "Somehing like tha… oh crap." She trailed off as a large vamp walked onto the stage.

            "This is a glorious night!" He proclaimed, "It is also the last one any of you will ever see! Bring me the first!" Another vamp dragged the doorman onto the stage. Faith's eyes widened. The first vamp had a symbol on his forehead- he was the one who had turned up out. He grabbed the doorman by the throat, wrapping his other arm around his neck. "Watch me people. Fear is like an elixir. It's almost like blood." He bent his neck and began to feed. Faith leapt up, ignoring Xander and Willow's protests.

            "Stop!" She yelled. The vampire looked up, very irritated. "You don't want lard bucket. I'm the one your master really wants." She purred.

            "Slayer." The vampire growled, dropping the limp doorman to the side.

            "Got it in one big guy." Faith began her slow approach to the stage. Humans dodged quickly out of the way, while vampires didn't dare to come near her, fearing that either they would be killed, or they would kill her, and the vessel wouldn't get her full life force for the master.

            "She's crazy!" Xander whispered to Willow.

            "Already knew that one." She replied.

            "We have to do something!!" Xander told her. She nodded, and followed him as he quietly made his way to the back exit, ignored as all attention was on Faith and the Vampire. One vamp stood guard at the door. "Will- this is your moment."

            "What!?" She exclaimed. 

            "It's a guy… go be girly, and then stake him." He handed her a stake he'd had hidden in his baggy trousers.

            "NO WAY!" She retorted. She glanced over towards Faith, who had just reached the stairs to the stage. The slayer returned the glance so quickly that it was mistaken by all others as a paranoid look for other vamps. But Willow now realised that Faith was relying on them to get the humans out – Faith had looked towards the door, where they were, not the table where they had been. Faith knew they'd moved. She wanted them to move. Willow made a small squeaking noise, but gripped the stake. Xander's jaw dropped as she began to swagger towards the vamp. He swallowed.

            "Hey there." Willow purred, her heart racing. The stake was behind her back. The vampire frowned, but looked her over. The others were all concentrating on the slayer… surely they wouldn't notice if he took just one?

            "Hey girly." He replied, allowing the 'helpless, stupid human' to step closer. "What do you want, baby?" He asked.

            "Just this." She spat, thrusting the hidden stake into his heart. A surprised look crossed his face before he disintegrated. Xander and Willow hurriedly began to usher humans out, counting the seconds before someone would notice.

            "HEY!" The vessel cried. Time up. Faith leapt the last few meters, knocking the vessel down while he was shocked. But he was up again quickly, growling. Faith fought with him, briefly, finally managing to stake him. The rest of the place was chaos. Humans were running, vampires were grabbing at them… but Faith noticed one thing- none of the vamps were killing, they were too scared of angering the master- they'd been told they were all for the vessel. So Faith started staking left right and centre, picking up a useful symbol to behead a couple… It wasn't long before the vamps were fleeing, and as the majority of the humans had already done the same, Faith, Xander and Willow were left almost all alone. Faith met them half way across the room,

            "Way ta go Will." She said grinning. Willow smiled sheepishly, and Faith grabbed her just as she collapsed in a faint. She hauled her to a seat near the bar. The barman was standing stock still, eyes wide and terrified. Faith smiled, and sat at the bar. "How about a beer?" Faith asked.

            "I need ID…" He said, but Faith just raised her eyebrows and glanced around. He shrugged, and handed her a bottle. "On the house." He said, with a small smile.

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